New academic, career center serves all students

By Beverly Makhani, Office of Undergraduate Education

ASCC-logoPULLMAN, Wash. – A free, one-stop resource for student career planning, advising, mentoring, tutoring, internships and jobs is available in the Academic Success and Career Center (ASCC) in Lighty 160-180 at Washington State University.

It will work in partnership with the Seattle-based job-search startup Koru (see earlier article at https://archive.news.wsu.edu/2014/08/13/startup-partnership-helps-wsu-prepare-students-for-workplace/#.VAi3yvPn-fA).

Strategic assistance for any student

Open to students and graduates from any year and major, the center “can help every student master the skills necessary to be successful—in college, at their future career and throughout life,” said Mary F. Wack, head of the WSU Office of Undergraduate Education. “ASCC will help students cultivate the personal and professional competencies demanded by employers and needed to be leaders in the state, nation and world.”

“In its 2014-19 strategic plan, WSU has recommitted to providing premier and transformative educational experiences,” said Terese King, center director. “The ASCC helps realize those goals by enhancing learning experiences and providing personalized services to all students.”

Get more information at http://ASCC.wsu.edu.

Drop-ins welcome; classes offered

Among the ASCC’s services are:

A drop-in center for students in need of immediate assistance. During the first two weeks of the fall and spring semesters, students can come by 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday. During the rest of the year, students can drop in 2-4 p.m., Monday-Friday or make an appointment for another time.

The student employment program for jobs and internships on and off campus. The online CougLink software system is used to connect students and employers 24/7. In addition to robust career advising, testing and counseling, ASCC is in charge of WSU’s partnership with Koru, which offers a new avenue for job/internship placement for WSU students.

Career and college success courses and workshops taught by center advisors and counselors. These include UNIV 100: Explore and Discover Pathway, to help new students with major and career choices; UNIV 497, which helps them develop leadership and interpersonal skills; training in study habits, health and wellness, and time- and stress-management skills; and opportunities to explore academic topics and internship, career and graduate school options.

Advising, mentoring, tutoring, more

The center also:

Offers academic advising to students between majors; peer in-person and online academic tutoring in most lower-division courses; on-campus mock and real interviews with employers; and mentoring support for students in such programs as College Bound, Washington State Opportunity Scholars, Passport to College, Governor’s Scholars and the College Success Foundation’s Achievers Scholars.

Organizes and hosts the biannual WSU Career Expo career fair and industry tours.
Oversees deficiency and reinstatement processes for undergraduate students.

Delivers centralized training and consulting to advisors, tutors, academic coaches, interns, career coordinators and other campus partners.

Collaborates with colleges and centers to expand and coordinate a variety of services and programs.